Luke 1:76

1:76 And you, child, ¹  will be called the prophet ²  of the Most High. ³ 

For you will go before ⁴  the Lord to prepare his ways, ⁵ 

Luke 2:17

2:17 When ⁶  they saw him, ⁷  they related what they had been told ⁸  about this child,

Luke 2:40

2:40 And the child grew and became strong, ⁹  filled with wisdom, ¹⁰  and the favor ¹¹  of God ¹²  was upon him.

Luke 9:47

9:47 But when Jesus discerned their innermost thoughts, ¹³  he took a child, had him stand by ¹⁴  his side,

¹ sn Now Zechariah describes his son John (you, child) through v. 77.

² tn Or “a prophet”; but since Greek nouns can be definite without the article, and since in context this is a reference to the eschatological forerunner of the Messiah (cf. John 1:17), the concept is better conveyed to the English reader by the use of the definite article “the.”

³ sn In other words, John is a prophet of God; see 1:32 and 7:22-23, 28.

⁴ tc Most mss, especially the later ones (A C D L Θ Ψ 0130 Ë^1,13 33 Ï sy), have πρὸ προσώπου κυρίου (pro proswpou kuriou, “before the face of the Lord”), but the translation follows the reading ἐνώπιον κυρίου (enwpion kuriou, “before the Lord”), which has earlier and better ms support (Ì⁴ א B W 0177 pc) and is thus more likely to be authentic.

⁵ tn This term is often translated in the singular, looking specifically to the forerunner role, but the plural suggests the many elements in that salvation.

⁶ tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁷ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

⁸ tn Grk “the word which had been spoken to them.”

¹¹ tc Most mss (A Θ Ψ Ë^1,13 33 Ï) read πνεύματι (pneumati, “in spirit”) after “became strong,” but this looks like an assimilation to Luke 1:80. The better witnesses (א B D L N W pc lat co) lack the word.

¹² sn With the description grew and became strong, filled with wisdom Luke emphasizes the humanity of Jesus and his growth toward maturity.

¹³ tn Or “grace.”

¹⁴ sn On the phrase the favor of God see Luke 1:66.

¹⁶ tn Grk “knowing the thoughts of their hearts” (an idiom).

¹⁷ tn On this use of παρά (para), see BDF §239.1.1.